About DECH

Located in the heart of beautiful Downeast Maine

Down East Community Hospital is a 25 bed acute care facility that offers state-of-the art technology and specialty services almost unheard of in a small rural hospital.

Our hospital serves the need of our immediate community in Machias and all of Washington County, bordered by New Brunswick to the northeast and the Bay of Fundy.

The foundation for Down East Community Hospital was laid in 1957 when a group a dedicated citizens studied the feasibility of establishing a new medical facility in the rural Washington County Maine. Down East Community Hospital was incorporated on January 5, 1960 and after the hospital was constructed, the one-story hospital with thirty six beds and ten bassinets welcomed its first patient on December 2, 1964.

In 1975 the hospital added to its physical plant, the first of four expansions, allowing for additional space for imaging, laboratory, and patient examining rooms. Other additions and renovations included a new emergency area in 189, a special care unit in 1996, a new operating suite in 1999, and a redesigned registration, waiting area, café and gift shop were part of a 10,000 square-foot connector which attached DECH to the separately owned thirty bed resident care facility, Maine Veteran’s Home.

In August 2005 DECH officially received its “Critical Access Hospital Designation” with twenty-five beds licensed acute care beds. Over the past ten years, in addition to the offering of exceptional primary care services such as Family Practice, Pediatrics, and Obstetrics/Gynecological services, DECH has expanded its specialty care services with the addition of Urology, Otolaryngology (ENT), General Surgery including minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery, Orthopedics, Pain Medicine, and Sleep lab.

DECH is an integral part of the region providing inpatient and outpatient medical, surgical, and emergency services. We are deeply committed to quality, patient safety, and patient satisfaction.